Death comes for the dead
by Archfiend1244
Summary: Death is sent to earth to investigate an increase in demon activity. But these are no ordinary demons these are Shikabane.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I do not own either Darksiders or Corpse Princess. This is the first chapter in the series so there may not be much just wait for more chapters to get made. Comments and reviews are welcome. Credit to afraidtochange for proofreading.

_Of all the people for this job why did they have to send me_? Thought Death as he sat on the roof of a tall building overlooking the large city below. _This type of chore is beneath me yet the council was so insistent._

Death stared into the sky and saw a flash of green and a crow suddenly appeared and landed next to him.

"Dust" uttered Death as the bird looked at him. "Have you managed to find anything?" Dust looked into Death's eyes and Death saw visions of building and places from all over town. One building seemed to be of more importance than most. It was a large Temple which seemed normal enough but Dust sensed that there was something strange about this one.

"So this temple has a strange aura around it, is that what you are saying?" Death said to Dust as the Crow simply nodded its head.

"Well I suppose it's worth an investigation if nothing else, "muttered Death as he stood atop the roof. He then ran to the edge of the roof and jumped to the next building and the next until he was at the end of a building on the side of the road and jumped down to the road and as he fell he summoned Despair and landed on the horse's back and then began to ride down the road.

As he was riding he recalled how all this had begun.

_Flashback_

"You want me to go to Earth? What possible reason could there be for this?" spoke Death to the Charred Council.

"That is correct Horseman" said the first head "We need you to investigate a strange increase in demon sightings."

"Demons in the Third Kingdom, how is this possible?" Asked Death

"We are not sure," Spoke the second head. "But, if it is what we believe it is it could seriously damage the balance."

"And what, pray tell, do you believe it is?" asked Death.

"These Demons are humans that have been transformed into Demons," answered the first head.

"Humans becoming Demons, how is such a thing possible?" Spoke Death in a concerned voice.

"We believe that this is the result of Demonic Spirits possessing humans and using their regrets and obsessions to make them their slaves," Said the first head.

"I have heard of such a thing before," stated Death. "But, I have never heard of them having the power to change their host. Usually they just use the human to commit heinous acts."

"True," answered the first head. "But, we believe that they have grown in power from humans that were tampering with powerful necromancy magic and somehow made the spirits stronger. For a long time these creatures managed to stay out of our sight but lately they have grown in both numbers and power."

"That is why we decided to send you to Earth," spoke the third head. "You must investigate and find the source of power that the Demonic spirits are feeding off of and destroy it."

"And what if I find one of these creatures?" asked Death. "Are they still humans or not?"

"No," answered the first head. "The creatures were human once but they are no longer. If you find any of them, destroy them." After bowing to the Council Death began to walk away.

"Hold Horseman," commanded the first head. "You should be made aware that there is a group of humans that have discovered a way to tame these Demonic Spirits and use them against the others."

"Humans controlling Demons," said Death, barley able to hold back his laughter. "I find the thought of humans controlling Demons to be quite humorous."

"Yet it is happening," spoke the third head. "However, we think they might be able to aid you in killing the others and finding the source."

"You expect me to work with Demons and Humans?" spoke Death angrily. "I am more that capable of dealing with this myself."

"Of that we have no doubt," Spoke the third head. "But, we cannot risk your presence interrupting the development of the Third kingdom. So you will need to travel in stealth. By using these Demons you may be able to do that."

"Well stealth isn't exactly my strong suit," Stated Death

"Of that we are aware, so take this, it will help with that," Said the first head.

Just after the first head stopped talking a small ball of lava began to boil out and then levitated in front of Death. Death grabbed the ball and it melted into a purple amulet.

"This talisman will allow you to walk amongst the humans without raising suspicions," Spoke the first head. "It will make you invisible to any mortal unless they have a large amount of spiritual perception."

"That's useful." Said Death as he put on the amulet. "So, when do I start this mission?"

"Immediately," spoke the first head. "We have already prepared a portal for you to use that will take you as near as we can sense is the center of the disturbance."

With that a blue portal opened on the floor and Death walked into it.

"Good luck Horseman," Spoke the third head. "You may need it."

And as soon as the sentence was finished Death disappeared.

_End Flashback_

Death continued down the street, passing cars and pedestrian along the way.

"It would appear that the amulet works," Muttered Death. "The mortal don't seem to see or hear me. This should make my job easy enough that I won't need to those other Demons."

Death had been in the Human World for almost a week now and had watched closely for the Demons he had been sent to kill. Death had found and killed many of these creatures but was still no closer to finding the power source he was sent to destroy.

Suddenly as Death was riding down the street he heard a loud bang.

"What was that?" yelled Death. "Dust, what can you see?"

Through Dust eyes Death could see a large black bat like creature fly out of a nearby building.

"Don't lose it," Death commanded Dust. And in an instant Death changed Despairs direction and started to follow the creature.

Along the way Death passed a young man carrying a large cart up a hill.

"What was that?" screamed the boy. "Was that a horse?"

"Strange,"Death said to himself. "Could that boy see me?"

Ignoring the boy, Death continued to follow the flying creature and saw that he was carrying some young women. Suddenly one of them started to fall and landed next to Death's path. Death simply looked at the body and continued forward without stopping or saying a thing.

"Dust, where is the creature?" Death asked to the bird flying overhead.

Seeing through Dust eyes he could see that he had lost him.

_Oh, damn it! _Death thought as he tried to think of how to find it.

Suddenly he noticed people moving right below Dust

"Dust!" yelled Death. "Look below you."

Death saw men in robs heading in the direction that the creature was last seen going.

"Follow them Dust," Death ordered. "But, don't get too close. If they really are monks then they might be able to see us."

Death followed the monks for hours waiting and hoping that they knew were the creature was. Eventually they arrived at another tall building.

"The Shikabane is on the roof," said one of the monks while Death listened. "We need to wait for Keisei and Makina to arrive so don't lose sight of it."

That was all that Death had to hear and quietly he sneaked toward the other side of the building and started climbing. Once he got to the top of the large glowing sign he saw the creature, and the four girls that looked like they were trying to cuddle with him.

_This will be difficult ._Death thought. _I need to separate the girls before I can…_

Suddenly Death's though was interrupted by someone crashing through the roof door.

"You fell from so high up and yet here you are," spoke the Creature. "So I was right."

Death didn't understand what he meant until he looked closer at the girl. He was shocked to see that it was the same girl that the creature dropped and landed on the road as Death followed the creature. He could sense back then that the girl had no soul in her. Actually, he still couldn't tell. It was as if there was no soul in her at all human or otherwise.

"How is this possible?" muttered Death to himself. "How can that girl live with no soul?"

"From time to time there is a person in the world who dies yet still moves," The girl explained. "Your will remains, your body functions and you kill people. You're called Shikabane. However there is another kind of Shikabane that exist only to kill your kind. We are called Shikabane Hime."

Suddenly the creature's girls charged the other girl as she drew 2 machine guns from her back. She avoided them easily and headed straight towards the creature. Death watched with great interest until he decided he had seen enough and wanted to finish this.

The creature rolled away from the girl and tried to fly but as he did his back was to the sign that Death was hiding in. Death jumped from the sign, drawing the two Harvester blades from his sides, and sliced the creature's wing off. The creature landed on the ground in pain. The girl could do nothing but watch as she was attacked by the other four girls.

"How can this hurt so much?" yelled the creature as he stood to face the masked man who had cut off his wings. "I'm supposed to be immortal!"

"You foolish creature," muttered Death. "No one is immortal to me. No one is above Death."

Just as the creature was standing up Death combined Harvester into one large blade and swung the blade so fast that the creatures head took five seconds to finally fall off. With the creature dead the girls he came with seemed to suddenly faint as if they were out of energy.

Death was about to leave when he heard the sound of guns that were ready to fire. Death turned to see the other girl with her guns aimed at him.

"That's a pretty rude way to thank someone for saving you," Death spoke to the girl sarcastically.

"What are you?' yelled the Girl. "Are you a Shikabane?"

"No," Death answered with a laugh in his voice. "I am not one of these pathetic creatures."

"Then what are you?" The girl demanded.

"I am the reaper," Death responded. "I am Death."

"Makina!" yelled a voice from the roof entrance.

"Keisei," The Girl responded looking away from Death.

By the time Makina looked back Death was gone and nowhere to be seen.

"Makina," Keisei said as he approached Makina. "Did you kill it already?"

"No," answered Makina. "There was someone else here."

"Was it another Shikabane Hime?" asked Keisei.

"Definitely not," responded Makina. "Whatever it was it was definitely male. Plus it didn't quite look human."

"It must have been another Shikabane," Said Keisei. "We'll have to worry about it later. For now let's get you back and tend to your wounds."

"I don't know," Whispered Makina. "There was something different about it."

"Interesting," Death said to himself as he hung off the side of the building and watched as the other left. "So these creatures are called Shikabane. And those Shikabane Hime must be the tamed demons that the council spoke of."

Death then let go from the building and began to fall. Before he hit the ground Despair appeared and Death landed on his back. Death then began to leave in the opposite direction as the monk so as not to be seen.

_Perhaps those Shikabane Hime will be of more use then I thought._ Death thought to himself as he rode away. _However, that has yet to be seen. And more importantly, how can girl live with no soul to move her? I'll have to look into this later. For now I had best just keep an eye on them._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I do not own either Darksiders or Corpse Princess. Comments and reviews are welcome. Credit to afraidtochange for proofreading.

Just after leaving the battle on the roof Death went to the temple that Dust showed him in his vision. It didn't look like anything special but as Death approached it he felt a strong barrier protecting it.

"Hmm," Death said aloud. "Nothing I couldn't break through but doing so would probably alert those inside."

Death decided to leave the temple in peace and simply keep an eye on it until he believed there was a point in attacking or negotiation.

_A few days later._

Death was scouting the city in the middle of the day when he heard a loud bang. He went to investigate it only to discover that it was just a traffic accident. Death later went to the funeral where they were honoring one of the children that had died in the accident. He hid on the roof, far from the eyes of the people below (not that most of them could see or hear him anyway but he thought best not to take the chance).

"These humans mourn the death of their own young," whispered Death to nothing but himself as the rain poured on his head. "I suppose that's at least one admirable quality that they possess."

Death listened to the cries of all the people as they pained for their loss when suddenly the picture of the dead child above the coffin fell and broke. The top of the casket then started to move on its own power and all that could be seen was a small pale hand. Slowly the hand continued to move and then the whole body stood up and the entire audience screamed.

"She's alive!" one person screamed.

"Call an ambulance!" cried another.

Death knew that this was not good at all. He was about to follow the ambulance that was carrying the girl when he overheard two monks talking.

"Two more of the children's bodies are missing," cried the first monk.

"WHAT!?" yelled the second monk.

Death didn't need to listen anymore to know what was happening.

"Dust, looks like we'll be playing tag today," muttered Death. "Go and find the other two children while I follow the girl." Dust did as Death commanded without question and went out in the dark rain to search for the two children.

Meanwhile Death followed the girl to a nearby hospital and was surprised to see two familiar faces were already there. One was the girl he had seen the other day, Makina. The other was the boy he passed on the road that was able to see him clearly.

"Why are they here?" Death asked himself. "The girl I can understand but, why is that boy here? No matter I'll have to go in the other way."

Death snuck in through a window on the other side of the hospital and began to walk to where he knew the child was. As he walked there were dead people all along the sides of the hall confirming his suspicions. The child was a Shikabane.

Eventually he arrived at the room where he knew the child was in but when he got there it was empty. There was nothing say a bed full of toys and sheets soaked in blood.

"Looks like the party was started without me," Death murmured to the empty room. "These childish games are becoming a nuisance."

Death then looked down to see a trail of blood and decided to follow it. It didn't lead very far because once it was outside the trail was washed away in the rain. He knew that whoever had this wound couldn't have been human because of the amount that was lost. Any human would have passed out long before getting outside.

Suddenly Death heard the familiar sound of a crying crow.

"Dust!" yelled Death to his faithful feathered companion as he landed on Deaths shoulder. "Did you find anything?" Death then looked into Dust's mind and saw images of a nearby playground where two children were playing in the rain with dead bodies buried in the sandbox.

"Good work," Death said to Dust. And with that he summoned Despair and road into the dark and rain.

When Death arrived at the playground the third child had just arrived with the boy from earlier. The boy tried to stop the girl from going to play with the others but he was easily thrown aside like a rag doll. When all the children were together they're expressions changed. They had no emotions in their eyes and looked as pale as the corpses they really were.

"What's wrong with you?" asked the boy.

"They're Shikabane," said a familiar voice.

As death looked for the source of the voice it was Makina. Death decided to hide in a nearby tree and simply see how this was going to play out.

"Someone who dies with intense regrets can gain an immortal body and turn back into an active being," Makina started to explain. "They're called Shikabane."

Death noticed the hole in her shirt and believed that she was the one who was bleeding in the hospital.

"A Shikabane is death itself. That's why they bring death upon others," continued Makina while Death laughed slightly at the fact that she thought they were death. "I'm someone who fights against that death, an immortal who kills the immortal, Shikabane Hime."

Death stopped paying attention to her after a while having heard most of this from her the other day but suddenly his attention was drawn to the three children.

"We're goanna play. We're goanna play," the three children repeated in unison.

Suddenly the children changed into their true forms. The middle child, who had been the girl, looked like a small deformed creature with two curved horns and white skin. The other two were identical in that they had white skin, large heads and no legs.

"Shikabane won't die unless their brains are destroyed or their bodies are completely destroyed," explained Makina while Death listened with a vested interest.

Makina tried to attack but the Shikabane were too fast for her. Then suddenly the three Shikabane merged into one hulking monster with four arms three eyes and two more arms that hung from below its mouth like fangs. Even with its new mass the Shikabane was still fast and eventually had Makina in its hand and was trying to rip her head off.

"Looks like I'll need to finish this," Death spoke from his tree but before he could move the boy from earlier spoke to the Shikabane.

"Please stop!" the boy yelled out. "Why don't you play with me?"

Death thought the boy was either stupid or had a death wish but, suddenly the creature started to act strangely. It was twitching and looked as if it couldn't control its own body. Makina saw the opportunity and shot the Shikabane. As it was hit it split back into the three others that formed it. One was killed one was wounded and the other was escaping.

The creature was about to escape but stopped when it saw someone at the bottom of the steps and before it could attack Death made his move. From behind the creature Death implanted the bottom blade of Harvester into the creatures head killing it.

From behind this new girl arrived two monks, one of which was familiar. It was Keisei

"You again," yelled Makinas from behind. Her twin machine guns pointed at Death. "You're the one from the roof the other day."

"I'm so flattered that you remember me my rotting corpse of a friend," spoke Death with a malevolent intent.

"Minai, attack this Shikabane," ordered the unknown monk.

The girl did as he asked without question and attacked. She tried to punch Death with her gauntlet but Death simply caught her fist. He then flipped her over his head and slammed her on the ground so hard that she bounced. While in the air Death kicked her and she flew into Makina and they were both implanted onto the playgrounds slide.

"Worthless Shikabane," spoke the unknown monk who the charged at Death from behind with his staff.

Death simply dodged it by stepping slightly to the right and grabbed the staff. Death then spun around, yanking the staff from the monks hand and hitting him on the shoulder so hard a loud crack could be heard from the staff breaking.

With everyone else down Death fixed his gaze upon the only one left standing.

"Your name is Keisei right?" Death asked as Keisei looked at him with a surprised expression. "You're the one who works with the Shikabane Hime Makina"

"How do you know that?' asked Keisei.

"I have my ways," said Death with smirk under his mask. "Just know that I have not come here to put you or your friends out of their misery. Not yet anyway.

"Who are you?" Keisei asked angered after what Death had just said.

"I told you subordinate who I was the last time we met," answered Death. "Just ask her."

"I did," Keisei responded. "She told me you claim to be Death. Does that mean you are a Shikabane?"

"Oh I am something far worse than a mere Shikabane," Death spoke with a murderous sound in his voice.

As he finished speaking he walked towards Keisei. He dropped the broken monk's staff next to the monk that it belonged to. Keisei was on the defensive but Death just walked past him.

"Don't worry," Death whispered in Keisei's ear as he walked past. "I held back enough that none of them are seriously injured. Besides they may prove to be of use to me in the future."

As Keisei turned to look all he could see was a flash of pale green and Death was riding away on his phantom horse Despair.

_Later that week_

Death was investigation a strange case where Shikabane had appeared and disappeared while leaving behind one victim. Every time Death got close to the Shikabane it disappeared without a trace.

"This is getting irritating," spoke Death from high in a tree while he watched the monks and Shikabane Hime walk away with the latest victim. "At this rate I'll be getting nowhere fast."

The next day Death had been sitting on the top of a roof overlooking the city looking for and signs of trouble. He had also sent Dust out to look for Shikabane. Suddenly Death saw a vision from Dust. He was following a Shikabane along the side of the road.

"Keep following," commanded Death to his feathered servant. "I'm on my way."

Death jumped of the side of the building and Despair materialized right under him in mid-air. They both landed without a scratch and began to go to dust

Eventually Death caught up with the Shikabane, it was hopping above him on a cliff next to the road. While following it he passed a biker that looked familiar to him but he couldn't figure out why at the time. Anyway he followed it until Dust lost it and there was another victim right in its path on a highway arch.

"Damn it," Death spoke aloud. "How did it get away? No matter at least I have the body this time."

Death crouched next to the female body but stopped when he heard a sound come up the stairs. It was the biker which Death now recognized as the second Shikabane Hime from before, Minai. She didn't truly reveal herself instead she hid at the bottom of the stairs, probably thinking that Death didn't see her. Ever though she was there Death still decided this was his best chance for answers. He held one of the dead girls hand and started to concentrate. Suddenly the girl gasped a breath and was alive again.

"I'm alive," the girl spoke. "How?"

"You won't be for long," Death spoke to the girl. "Tell me what happened here? What killed you?"

"Here," the girl said. "How did I get here? I was at the hospital. I was working when the doctor." The girls face showed great anger.

"WHY!" screamed the girl. "Why Doctor. Why did you do this to me?"

"Stop right there," came a voice from behind which broke Deaths concentration and caused the girl to die again.

"Did you kill her?" said the voice which Death saw was Makina when he turned around and saw her with her guns aimed.

"Makina, we can't go on meeting like this," Spoke Death humorously.

"Shut up and answer the question," Yelled Makina.

"Which do you want me to do?" asked Death. "Shut up or answer the question?"

Makina's angered expression was all the answer Death needed.

"The girl was dead when I got here," said Death. "I did not do this."

"Bullshit," screamed Makina. "I just saw you talking to her."

"I simply used my necromancy skill to bring her soul back and answer my questions," said Death. "Nothing more."

"Just what are you?" asked Makina

"You know," answered Death. "I'm getting really tired of answering that. But since you came all this way I'll tell you and your friend back there what I learned."

Minai walked out from below the steps and got ready to attack Death.

"The girl was saying something about a doctor," Death told the girls. "She was very angered by the memory so it has to have had something to do with this. Also the girl had no idea where she was. I don't think she was attacked here,"

As Death finished talking the two girls started to get closer to him.

"Sorry," Minai said. "But we have orders to apprehend you if we run into you."

"Really," spoke Death with a small laugh in his voice as he started to walk to the railing overlooking the road. "Well sorry to disappoint you because I have better things to do."

Death then leaped over the railing and by the time the girls were to the edge Death was riding away on Despair.

A few hours later Death was on the roof of a building overlooking a local clinic.

"That was a little close back there," whispered Death under his breath. "Good thing those girls didn't notice me swiping this from the dead girls pocket." Death held a business card that had lead him to this clinic.

Death was about to enter the clinic when he saw someone familiar walking up to the clinic. It was the boy who always seemed to show up and can see Death. Death wondered what he was doing at the clinic when suddenly he collapsed. The doctor walked out with a baby in his arms and saw the boy. The doctor carried him into the clinic.

"Damn it," whispered Death to himself. "With that boy in there I can't risk going it. I'll just have to wait and see what occurs."

Death waited for hours until he saw Makina enter the clinic.

"Help me doctor," Makina said while falsely crying. "My boyfriend doesn't care and I have no one else."

_This Girl could be a first class actress. _Thought Death from just outside.

"Don't worry," said the doctor. "It happens to a lot of young people these days."

Death just about wanted to vomit from hearing that he bought all that. But he also knew that this was his chance. He couldn't get in there but she could.

_Elsewhere at the same time_

Dust had been watching Keisei on Death's orders and was watching through a window as he was talking to a woman. Dust couldn't hear but he could read their lips.

"So these women were injected with Shikabane cell?" asked Keisei

"That appears to be the case," responded the woman.

"So the Shikabane that Makina and the other were chasing were victims themselves," said Keisei." And when the affects wore off they returned to their dead selves."

"Is that possible?" asked the woman.

"I don't know but it's happening," responded Keisei. "Oh by the way do you have any information on the other matter I asked about?"

"If you mean the masked figure then no," spoke the Woman with a concerned look. "I've looked everywhere but I can't find anything. No news report, eye witnesses, pictures anything. The only people to have encountered this thing were contracted monk or Shikabane Hime."

"I see," said Keisei. "This is very odd."

"I might be able to help if I just had more info," said the woman.

"Well the only other bit of information I have is that when it was done talking to me it road away on what looked like a zombie horse with light green flames," responded Keisei. "But I don't see how that is of much use."

"Light green," yelled the woman. "You mean like pale green?

"Yes, I guess so, why?" said Keisei

"In ancient mythology the rider of the pale horse was Death," Explained the woman.

"Yes, he claimed to be Death, so?" asked Keisei

"What I mean is that Death was the Pale rider of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse," re-explained The Women. "If he's real and that's who you met then this could be bad."

"Oh come now," responded Keisei with a grin on his face. "You don't really think-" Keisei's sentence was interrupted when he looked at the Woman's very serious face.

"Well let's just hope you're wrong for once," spoke Keisei as Dust began to leave.

_Oh Keisei, _thought Death as he finished watching through Dust's eyes. _You have no idea who right your friend truly is._

At almost the same moment death heard a loud bang from inside the clinic. He decided that there was no point in waiting anymore and ran into the clinic but it was empty. He found the hole in the wall that was the likely source of the loud bang but there was nothing else there. He searched for what seemed like an eternity before he heard gun fire echoing from right below him. With no know way down he decided to break through the floor. When he arrived in the lower floor he heard Makina yelling in the next room.

"I know of five people this man implanted with Shikabane flesh," said Makina with a gun to the doctor's head. "They're all dead."

"But you're suppose to kill Shikabane not humans!" yelled the boy who was strapped to an operating table.

"He murdered five people!" screamed Makina.

"As much as I believe that man deserves death," spoke Death as he entered the room. "That man may have information I need and getting information out of the dead is more difficult than you think especially with no head."

Makina aimed her gun at Death but Death used his teleport slash and appeared next to the boy with his scythe drawn.

"So what will it be?" Death asked Makina. "Should this boy join the doctor in the next world?"

Suddenly there was a loud bang from the door to the room. Keisei was standing in the door with his staff.

"Big brother," spoke the boy just before he passed out.

"Get away from Ouri," demanded Keisei.

"Ouri," said Death looking down at the boy. "So that's the child's name. And he's your brother at that."

Keisei looked at Death with a murderous intent. It was obvious how protective he was.

"You need not worry," spoke Death. "I have no intention of harming him. I assume that you need information from that man as well so I will let you have him. A human could probably get the needed information out of him better than me."

Death walked away from Ouri and wanted to leave. Keisei kept blocking the door so he instead walked to the hole he had made earlier. Then suddenly a blast of purple energy shot out of Death's arm and took the form of a hand that grabbed the top of the hole. He then pulled himself through the hole almost instantly and ran for the exit. By the time Keisei was there Death was long gone.

_That man cares for his brother. _Death thought to himself. _I suppose that's one thing I can respect about him._

About two days later Death was furious to discover that the doctor was dead. And even worse they cremated the body. Death now knew that he had only one way to get information.

Death walked deep into the confines of an old abandoned warehouse. This warehouse was apparently once used for automobiles but has been abandoned for years. However what Death was more interested it were the strange runes burned into the floor. When he touched them they began to glow blue and a familiar face appeared.

The figure was tall and extremely skinny. It had two large horns that were easily twice the size of its head. Also there was blue smoke coming from where his legs should have been. Calling him a demon was the only true way to describe him.

"Greeting Horseman," spoke the demon in a voice that nearly screamed don't trust me. "How may I help my favorite customer?"

"Don't get friendly with me Vulgrim," Death spoke to the demon. "You know I would not come for your services if I didn't need to."

"You wound me Horseman, "responded Vulgrim in a sarcastic voice.

"Keep talking like that and I'll wound you for real," said Death with an angered look in his eyes and his right hand on the half of harvester on his right side.

"Very well," Vulgrim answered with a bit more seriousness in his voice. "What do you need?"

"I need information on the Kōugon Sect," spoke Death. As much information as you can give me on them, Monks, Shikabane Himes, and anyone else associated with them."

"Hmm, that quite a tall order," spoke Vulgrim.

Death then held out his closed hand and when he opened it showed a hand full of gold coins.

"Oh Horseman, you know me so well," said Vulgrim with an evil sneer in his voice.

"Also I'd like you to look into a boy named Ouri for me," commanded Death. "He is related to a monk I keep running into named Keisei and has continually gotten in my way."

"You want me to work on both the Kōugon Sect and this boy," furiously spoke Vulgrim. "That's a lot more than I ever care to do."

Death the pulled out three Boatmen coins and gave then to Vulgrim.

"Oh, I suppose a little extra work couldn't hurt," said Vulgrim in a slightly nicer tone.

"So you will get the information?" asked Death.

"Yes," answered Vulgrim. "But it will take some time. Come and see me tomorrow morning and I will have the information you seek." And with that Vulgrim disappeared back into the floor from whence he came.

A few hours later Death heard a large amount of gunfire come from the other side of town and decided to investigate. Once there he found out what happened pretty easily from the crowd. Supposedly there was a battle between rival yakuza gangs but Deaths instincts told him otherwise. He waited for the crowds to leave so as to not cause a scene should there be a Shikabane inside. But just as he was about to enter of course Makina arrived but surprisingly enough it was with Ouri. Death decided to wait no longer and go in before them.

Once he was inside he saw that it was completely empty. He was about to leave when he heard screaming and explosions in the basement. Once in the basement he saw a man with a young girl who looked like the girl in the picture on the side of the building he was in.

"I want to sing. I want to sing," the girl kept repeating.

The man was apparently trying to calm her down but to no avail. Death didn't hear what he was saying because he wasn't close enough and didn't want to get closer until he could confirm if this girl was a Shikabane or not. Suddenly the girl spun around and screamed at a wall that suddenly exploded and that was all the proof he needed.

"That's quite the voice you've got there," spoke Death as he approached the girl. "Too bad I will have to silence it."

"Do you want me to sing for you?" asked the girl.

"Kun, who are you talking to?" Asked the man unable to see or hear Death.

"That is a terrible song," said a familiar voice from across the room. "But it will sound great when you sing it in hell. It's just the living who can't stand it."

As Death looked he saw Makina being carried over Ouri's shoulder. Suddenly the girl screamed again and Makina Pushed Ouri out of the way and she fell the other way in order avoid the attack. Suddenly in the blink of an eye the girl Kun had transformed into a giant bipedal bird like creature with a huge beak for a head. Makina pulled out her guns and shot the creature's right arm off. At first it looked like it was over but the creature knocked her aside and stood back up.

"Why don't you sing for me little bird?" spoke Death who now stood in front of the Shikabane.

The Shikabane was harder to fight then Death originally though because of the sonic blast it fired. Death was on the defensive barley able to doge the fast and unpredictable attacks. Death was sure that Makina would try and attack the Shikabane but she was wounded which Death thought was odd as he had seen her heal before. Death was hiding behind a shelf getting ready to strike when suddenly Death saw another familiar face, it was Keisei.

"Each Shikabane Hime has an emotional and physical bond to a specific human," Keisei started to explain. "And anytime that human is nearby she receives is rune or life energy. Their bodies regenerate and are once again able to utilize her abilities to their fullest extent. This specific human is called a contracted monk."

Death didn't hear what else happened as the Shikabane found his hiding place and he was forced to start dodging again. Then Makina started shooting it again and a strange music started to play over the speakers. Death recognized the voice singing as it was the same voice he had been dogging for the last minute. Suddenly the Shikabane stopped attacking and looked confused.

"You had a beautiful voice. That why you always wanted to sing right?" Keisei said to the Shikabane. "But your voice is no good anymore. It's smothered by your own twisted obsession with eternal life and the idea that you could sing forever. You couldn't accept your fate as a human so you abandoned humanity all together. And now no one wants to hear you sing."

Death grew tired of listening to Keisei's speech and decided to take on the offensive. He drew Harvester from his sides and combined the blades into one. He struck the Shikabane with harvester and severed her left arm.

"As rousing as your speech is can we just kill this thing?" Death asked Keisei

Then Keisei shot something from the bottom of his staff like a blowgun straight into the Shikabane's mouth. It looked like a small piece of wood.

"This is Shikimi grown in holy water," Spoke Keisei to the Shikabane. "Looks like its working."

Suddenly plants started to grow from the Shikabane's mouth and it couldn't make a sound.

"Makina, you take over," said Keisei. "Because the only ones who can kill Shikabane..."

"Are those who were created for that purpose," interrupted Makina. "Shikabane Hime."

Makina fired her guns at the Shikabane's head and blew it into almost nothing and with the head destroyed the body fell to rubbly like a crumbling wall.

Death had had enough and decided to leave but he left with some very interesting information.

"Now I get it," spoke Death to himself as he walked onto the street. "Those contracted monks have somehow found a way to tame and control Demonic souls with their own. They use their own life force as a leash to control and suppress the demonic entity inside these Shikabane Hime. They can't loosen the leash unless they are close to their Shikabane Hime but still. I thought that only ancient races like the makers had the ability to control and manipulate souls. If these humans have it to then the End War may be closer than I expected."

_Second chapter of my first crossover. Please review and comment on my work. _


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I do not own either Darksiders or Corpse Princess

The next morning Death returned to the warehouse to see Vulgrim.

"Did you get what I needed?" asked Death.

"But of course Horseman," responded Vulgrim with his usual grin.

Vulgrim then handed Death a large binder completely filled with papers. Death was impressed, the binder was well organized. The contracted monks were alphabetized and put into sections based on the area they worked. They were also listed next to their Shikabane Hime.

"Impressive Vulgrim," spoke Death in a moderate tone. "What have you found out about the boy Ouri?"

"Not much out of the ordinary," said Vulgrim. "At least, not before he was three."

"I'm listening," spoke Death with great interest.

"The man Keisei apparently found Ouri at the age of three and raised him as his brother at the temple orphanage," explained Vulgrim.

"So they are not blood related," said Death, thinking of the similar relation he had with his siblings. "What happened to him before that?"

"To be honest with you I don't know. There are no records of his existence before going to the orphanage. But I did find one interesting fact."

"And that would be?" Death said with thin patience.

"Around the time of the boy's sudden appearance there was also a rash of children disappearing. Evidently they were never given any food or water and eventually died. All, that is, except for one."

"The boy was the only survivor?" asked Death.

"I cannot confirm this but it would make sense," responded Vulgrim.

"So perhaps seeing all those deaths at such a young age gave him some kind of spiritual perception that allows him to see me."

"I suppose that would be possible but again this is only a theory."

"Well theory or not it's better than nothing."

"Oh and one more thing," spoke Vulgrim as he was about to leave. "There have been a surprising number of young people disappearing lately and evidently the only link is a strange rental car they all seemed to rent."

"It's not like you to give away free information," said Death. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Let's just call it a gesture of good faith for my favorite customer," spoke Vulgrim as he disappeared back into the ground.

With that business concluded Death decided to go through the binder and learn all he could about the Kōugon Sect before going to find this strange rental car.

Meanwhile at the local high school Ouri was sleeping on his desk as he waited for the teacher to arrive. He sat there silently as his friend criticized him not caring about some others that had died. As the teacher finally walked in he was accompanied by two new students.

"Settle down," spoke the teacher. "Today I would like you to welcome two new students. "

The first new student was a girl. She had long red hair that was almost as long as her arms had a pink bow tied in her hair and was very attractive, made obvious by the reaction of all the male students.

The other was a boy. He had spiky silver hair that went down to his ears. He wore the same uniform as all the other male students but had a gold necklace with a skeletal horses head. He also had a permanent look in his eyes that said, 'don't mess with me'. He was also very attractive made obvious by all the female students.

"This is Itsuki Yamagami," said the teacher as he introduced the girl while both students bowed to the class. "And this is Victor Shiro."

With the introductions made both students took their seats. Itsuki waved to Ouri which evidently made a friend of his angry because he started to choke him demanding his secrets.

Class ended without any more incidents and thing seemed quiet. Victor was walking around the schoolyard eating his lunch when he noticed the girls that had been following him. They had been following him for a while now; too afraid to approach him because while he was attractive he was also scary when you looked straight at him. As he walked he saw Ouri sitting with Itsuki and could practically smell the jealously in the air around them. But he never got to see any more as a stampede of girls ran right past him. Curiously Victor decided to see what the commotion was about.

When he followed the girls he arrived at the archery club where he saw a young man with dark hair and glasses preparing to shoot a bow. When he shot he hit just outside the bull's-eye.

"And that end our demonstration," said the teacher who Victor now recognized as Takamasa Sogi who he had seen earlier in the day. "There may not be much I can teach you but I'll do my very best. It was nice to meet you all."

"That was a nice shot teach," Victor spoke with a rude tone. "It takes a lot of effort to miss on purpose."

"So you think you can do better?" asked Takamasa with a displeased expression. "Do you even know how to use a bow?"

"It's been a while since I used one but I can" responded Victor.

Victor walked up to the front and took the bow from Takamasa. He then grabbed two arrows, holding one arrow between his pinky and ring finger while aiming the other with his pointer and middle fingers. After about ten seconds he fired the first arrow and it hit the bull's-eye and immediately after that he pulled back the second arrow with his other fingers and fired. The second arrow split the first right down the middle.

"Haven't lost my touch," bragged Victor as he walked out of the club room, some of the girls following him.

Later that evening as Victor was walking home he saw Itsuki with Ouri. Curiously he approached them to hear what they were talking about.

"Going for a drive?" said Ouri

"Yeah," answered Itsuki. "I was asked out but, it was so sudden and I'm kind of scared."

"You mean of the guy who asked you out?" asked Ouri as Itsuki shook her head.

"He said there's this rental car company renting out to kids," said Itsuki. "Could you come along? It would really mean a lot.

Ouri looked at Itsuki while she gave him cute puppy dog eyes. Victor nearly laughed at how she was reeling this boy in like a big catch on a fishing pole.

"I would but I got to work tonight," Spoke Ouri while he was blushing.

"Please Ouri?" asked Itsuki while grabbing Ouri's hand.

"Mind if I join in?" shouted Victor as he walked out in front of them.

"I don't know?" said Ouri.

"Sure," happily said Itsuki ignoring Ouri. "It could be fun."

With that done they all went their separate ways.

Although Ouri was almost strangled by his friends again as they yelled, "Why was it you? Why couldn't it be me?" But Victor disappeared before they could _interrogate _him.

Later that night Death was on a rooftop overlooking a parking lot with a single SUV in it. After some investigating he had discovered that this was the supposed car that made people disappear. Not long after he arrived a young girl arrived and waited next to the car. Death couldn't sense a soul in her and upon looking a little closer knew who she was. It was Itsuki Yamagami a Shikabane Hime; he knew this from the files that Vulgrim gave him that morning. But what was even more surprising was the young man with silver hair that arrived later. Death knew him but in a much different way. And to add yet another surprise Ouri showed up. And last but not least came another individual in a red baseball cap which upon Ouri's removal revealed the person to be non-other than Makina. All four of them got into the SUV.

"Dust," spoke Death as a large black bird settled on his shoulder. "Follow them from the skies while I'll follow on the road."

With that Dust took to the skies and Death leaped from the top of the building. Despair appeared from under him and they landed on the ground as light as a feather. Death began to follow the SUV, being very careful not to get too close because he knew that everyone in that SUV could see him.

Meanwhile inside the SUV Victor was sitting in the front seat, Makina and Ouri where in the back seats and Itsuki (despite Victor's objections) was driving the vehicle.

"Um hey there Itsuki, you do have a driver's license don't you?" asked Ouri very nervously.

"Can't say that I do," responded Itsuki with an expression on her face that made you believe she didn't have a clue.

After that Itsuki turned the wheel hard to the right causing Makina to slide into Ouri.

"So what's up with that guy who asked you out?" asked Ouri still pressed against the door.

"The truth is I lied," answered Itsuki with a giggle in her voice. "I just really wanted to spend some time getting to know you. But if you have a girlfriend I guess it's a bad idea. "

"She thinks I'm your girlfriend?" asked Makina jokingly while all Ouri could do was blush.

"So you aren't then," said Itsuki. "That's good to know."

"Yeah," responded Makina. "Go right on ahead I won't put up a fight."

"Very funny!" shouted Ouri as Itsuki turned hard to the left making Ouri slide into Makina.

Victor could tell that they were still talking back there but he couldn't make out what they were saying. Or rather he didn't care. Suddenly the SUV almost ran into another car coming in the opposite direction.

"Hey Itsuki watch out!" yelled Ouri.

"You're going a little fast," said Makina. "Slow down."

"But I'm not the one in control of the wheel anymore," responded Itsuki.

"What about the breaks?" asked Ouri.

"Uh, it's not working," said Itsuki desperately trying to push the pedals.

While Makina was trying to break open the door a message started to appear on the GPS screen. It read, '_Welcome to the joyride of hell. The capacity of this car is one passenger. Now let's reduce the number of passengers. When there is one passenger left the car will stop.'_ Suddenly the middle glove compartment opened to reveal a cash of sharp tools and weapons. Itsuki pulled a gun from the compartment.

"What in the world is this?" asked Ouri.

"It wants us to kill each other," said Itsuki, pointing the gun at Ouri. "That's what it wants. We kill each other here. It won't stop until there's only one of us left and that's the one who lives."

"Don't shoot that thing in here!" yelled Victor as he pulled the gun from Itsuki's hand. "If you fire this thing in here you'll kill all of us from the ricochets."

Suddenly Makina pulls out her machine guns.

"Where the hell were you hiding those?" yelled Victor pointing his gun in response.

"Humans tend to struggle more when they don't want to die," spoke Makina ignoring Victor's question. "Like it or not it's going to happen. Remember that."

Suddenly Makina shot the floor and there was a scream as if the car was hurt.

"Quiet an impressive disguise you've been hiding behind," said Makina to what seemed like nothing. "But it's not them who'll be doing the killing tonight. It's going to be me."

Suddenly there was a knock coming from outside the door. Death was right beside the car riding Despair. He then pulled out one half of Harvester and smashed it through the window of the front seat door. Then using the blade like a hook he pried the door right off the car. He put Harvester away and reached out his hand. Victor was quick to grab it and was pulled onto Despairs back but before he could get anyone else out the car veered off the road and off the side of a cliff. Death saw the left passenger door get blown off by Makina and saw Ouri get kicked out of the car. Death lost sight of the car as it disappeared into the wood below but could hear that Makina was shooting from inside.

"Damn it," muttered Death from atop the cliff. "Get off boy. I have work to do."

Victor dismounted from the back of Despair. Death and Despair then jumped from the cliff and followed the car.

"This is starting to get fun," whispered Victor with a sinister smile. "Maybe this will be worth the effort after all."

As Death was riding looking for the Shikabane car he saw Ouri talking with what looked like a monk.

"They call me the traitor monk," said the unknown monk which caught Deaths curiosity.

Death decided to listen in to what they were saying and learned some interesting facts. He didn't hear much of what they were talking about but he did hear enough.

"They fight only to fulfill a contract," spoke the traitor monk. "If they succeed in destroying 108 Shikabane they can make it into heaven. "

Death nearly wanted to roll over with laughter. If these people knew what heaven was really like they wouldn't kill to get there.

"Shikabane Hime are those who became Shikabane without ever whishing it upon themselves," continued the traitor monk. "They simply don't know how to die. And the Kōugon Sect uses then as if they were nothing more than puppets."

Suddenly a shot from a gun flew right past the traitor monk's right shoulder and in the shadows of the nearby trees Itsuki was seen with two pistols. Death had no idea how she got out of the car, nor did he care. Knowing that this traitor monk was a mere human Death decided to leave in search of a more worthwhile adversary.

Death had a surprisingly hard time trying to find the car Shikabane because it kept moving while it was fighting but eventually he did find it. When he got there Ouri was already there (from dumb luck no doubt) and Keisei had just rolled in on a scooter. Makina was trapped on the roof of the car Shikabane and seemed to be being crushed. Keisei jumped onto the roof and used his staff to pry her out but her arm was still stuck. Makina and Keisei looked at each other and Keisei pulled a sword from his staff and in one sweep severed Makina's right arm. Keisei fell over by where Ouri was and Makina kept shooting with her remaining arm. Death then rode in and swiped Makina off the roof and dropped her by Keisei.

"What the hell are you doing?" asked Makina.

"You've already lost an arm so let me handle this," answered Death.

Suddenly the car changed directions and was heading straight towards him.

"Great," spoke Death as he took the two halves of Harvester and combined them. "I like a good joust."

Death then straightened the blade of Harvester so it took the shape of spear and pointed it at the car Shikabane. He then charged the Shikabane on Despair and when the two collided Death impaled the blade into the bumper and flipped the car end over end. The car landed upside down but somehow managed to put itself right-side up again. As the two began to charge again Death turned Harvester back into a scythe threw it at the car Shikabane and stuck the blade into the engine with the staff facing the windshield. As the two got closer Death jumped off Despair and grabbed Harvester pulling the blade right down the middle of the car splitting it in two. The car then dissolved showing it was dead.

A little later Death was running through the forest with Keisei, Ouri and Makina.

"Now you're sure he called himself the traitor monk?" asked Keisei to Ouri.

"I'm sure," responded Ouri. "He knew about you as well as me."

"Akasha," spoke Keisei under his breath.

"Who is that Keisei?" asked Makina.

Suddenly Makina stopped.

"Wait, don't!" yelled Makina.

"Just an ordinary Soma," said Keisei as he pulled out a bottle with a label that looked like something from an anime poster. "Kōugon Sect special elixir, if it really is him."

"But, doesn't it have a strong side effect?" asked Makina

"With all due respect," spoke Death as he walked in-between Makina and Keisei. "I believe that there was somewhere we should be heading."

Death started to run again and could tell the others were following because he could hear their footsteps behind him. When they arrived the first thing Death saw was another monk in glasses lying against a tree in pain. It took Death a moment to recognize him from the files. It was Takamasa Sogi, contracted monk of Itsuki Yamagami. Keisei leaned over to assess his condition but Death was more concerned with what was in front of him. Akasha was standing in what looked like a circle of long skinny arms and at the center of these arms was three deformed heads sprouting from the ground. Itsuki was tied up lying on the ground in front of those heads.

"Akasha," spoke Keisei as he looked to the monk in the middle of the circle of arms.

"It's been a long time senior," responded Akasha. "Hasn't it?"

"Makina!" yelled Keisei as Makina started to walk towards Akasha. "You can't do anything with your wounds. He's using a Zadan technique.

"A Zadan technique?" asked Makina in a confused voice.

"Like Shikabane Hime, Zadan is a technique that's meant to symbolize the Kōugon Sect," explained Takamasa, still out of breath. "You make yourself head monk within the ceremonial alter. Open a scripture using a holy instrument. This causes a miracle with the help of the stars and infinite power."

"You call that a miracle?" said Death while laughing the whole time. "That's nothing but a pathetic parlor trick."

"You insignificant fool," spoke Akasha unaware that he was talking to Death himself. "You've never seen such an advanced Zadan.

Suddenly more long arms and deformed heads began to shot up from the ground like fast growing plants.

"These Shikabane were created from those who were fortunate enough to become Shikabane after they killed each other in the rental car," continued Akasha. "I gave their lives purpose and trapped them in my Zadan."

"Their regrets," interrupted Makina. "He's using the Shikabane like a dame battery."

Makina tried to shoot Akasha but the Shikabane hands rose up to defend him.

"How is this any different from the Kōugon Sect using the power of Shikabane Hime?" asked Akasha. "I don't allow my Shikabane to keep their pathetic feeling. They are used simply for power. Take it from me; they suffer much less in such an unenlightened state."

"You're wrong!" yelled Keisei. "You murdered those kids not once but twice. Making them kill each other off in cold blood to make Shikabane and the second they resurrected you used them to create that forsaken Zadan."

"You always had a soft spot for the young ones senior," said Akasha with an evil laugh. "If you love your walking corpse this much it's only a matter of time before you love Shikabane too."

"As entertaining as your little reunion was I think it's time to end this," stated Death a serious tone.

"I couldn't agree more," responded Akasha as three of the Shikabane arms moved to attack Death.

Death was about to draw Harvester when three gunshots flew within inched of Death and Destroyed the arms. No one knew where the shots came from because Makina hadn't even drawn her gun and Itsuki was still unconscious at Akasha feet.

"Well," spoke Death. "If that's how you want to play I'll play."

Death raised his arm and suddenly skeletal arms began to shoot from the ground. They were as big and as long as the Shikabane arms, they surrounded Death in much the same way that Akasha's Shikabane arms did. Everyone was shocked at what they had just seen.

"How can you perform such an advances technique?" asked Akasha with intense anger. "You don't have a scripture or a holy instrument."

"I don't need to rely on the powers of other to use my magic," responded Death in a mocking fashion. "This power is my own and no one else's."

Akasha used the Shikabane arms to attack Death but Death countered by using the skeletal arms to intercept. The arms were dead locked with each other and neither Death nor Akasha were gaining any ground. Death then looked to Makina and without saying anything Makina jumped past the arms towards Itsuki.

"We're going to have to cut nap time short princess," said Makina as she shot the arms that were holding Itsuki.

"Makina," spoke Itsuki as she was waking up. "Were you able to patch thing up with Ouri?"

"You're hilarious," responds Makina.

"If you two are done trying to anger each other can you perhaps shoot this thing?" spoke Death with annoyance and anger in his voice.

"Your bullets are useless," announced Akasha as he conjured more arms from the ground.

"Guns aren't necessarily used for shooting," said Itsuki as she waved her hand over the barrel of her pistol revealing blood red symbols of which Death did not recognize.

Itsuki began to hit the arms with her guns and they were destroyed. Akasha looked displeased as the two Shikabane Hime began to shoot up all the arms. Death aided in this by using his skeletal arms (Which now outnumbered Akasha's) to destroy even more arms. Eventually the disfigured heads near Akasha's feet were destroyed, revealing a dark red cube. Keisei ran a grabbed the cube and the moment he did a huge shockwave was released that threw the Shikabane Hime and Death backwards. All the arms from both Akasha and Death were dissolved.

"If you don't have the mediation-," Keisei was starting to say but stopped when his hand started to shake. He then dropped his staff and had an expression of pain in his face.

"Going after the mediation was a wise decision," spoke Akasha with an evil grin. "As you can see this casket is no ordinary instrument. It's the blood of 108 people at the end of their lives."

"Even just one person's regrets can have great power when they transform into Shikabane," explained Takamasa who was still leaning against a tree. "And he said 108 people. Simply touching the box spiritual trauma, any average person would have been knocked immediately unconscious."

"Come on senior," spoke Akasha as he slowly walked to Keisei. "You must have known that this was bound to happen because of your love for her."

Akasha leaned down next to Keisei and grabbed his staff. He then pulled the sword from the staff and was starting to stand up when Keisei spoke.

"You would know better than me about a love for Shikabane Hime, Akasha," spoke Keisei while Akasha had a surprised look on his face. "Is that why you betrayed everyone within the Kōugon Sect? Because you couldn't stand to look your Shikabane Hime in the eyes for one more second?"

"Know this senior," said Akasha recovering from his surprise. "With everything that I have done I never betrayed the Kōugon Sect. They are the deceivers; the Kōugon Sect betrayed me."

Akasha began to raise the sword and with a maniacal look on his face plunged it towards Keisei's head. Suddenly Keisei held the casket up in defense and the sword pierced it and Keisei's hand. Death was surprised that Keisei could move while holding that casket; even he would have had trouble moving with something containing so much negative energy. Death discovered how Keisei did it when he saw the small bottle of Soma fall from his robe.

"Idiot," spoke a very shocked Akasha as the casket began to crack, "Do you realize what you've done? The blood inside will flow out."

"Resulting in the regrets and obsessions of 108 people to fall on us," Keisei finished Akasha's explanation.

"If you suffer a spiritual trauma your body is going to be greatly affected too."

"What can I say it seemed like a good idea. Sorry."

The casket broke just as soon as Keisei finished speaking and the blood fell on both of them.

"My trauma doesn't compare," spoke Akasha trying to overcome the pain he was now feeling. "The pain and suffering will be much worse for you old friend."

Keisei fell over in pain and Death figured this was his chance but as he was walking to Akasha to get answers a shot was fired that got between them and they both fell down backwards. This was not the same as the three shots from before. There was strange magic behind this one and it was from a different location. The power behind it was more powerful than Death thought possible for any human to have. But before he could get up Akasha was already standing.

"This is far from over," spoke Akasha as he made a hand sign.

Death lunged at him but suddenly a bunch of Shikabane arms completely surrounded Akasha and he disappeared into the ground.

"Damn it!" yelled Death. "He got away."

Death turned to see Makina crouched by Keisei who was lying on the ground. Death pulled a light blue potion from his belt.

"Here," said Death as he through the potion to Makina. "It's a mana potion. It should heal the spiritual trauma."

"Why would you help him?" asked Makina.

"Let's just say I can respect a man who fights to protect his brother," responded Death leaving Makina with more questions than answers.

Death then walked away but just when he was out of Makina and the others sight he saw through Dust's eyes the ones who shot the last bullet. It was Sadahiro Mibu and his Shikabane Hime Akira Tōoka and they still had Death in their sights. They probably thought they were well hidden and could shoot Death without being seen. To prove them otherwise Death picked up a small rock and threw it so hard it hit Sadahiro on the head. By the time Akira looked back to find Death he was gone and Sadahiro had a bad bump on his head.

Later Death was on the side of the road where the Shikabane car had driven off the cliff. Victor approached from behind still holding the gun he got from the Shikabane car.

"I must say I'm surprised," spoke Death without even turning around. "I didn't think you could have made those three shot with a human pistol, _Strife_."

"What can I say," spoke Victor/Strife in a joking fashion. "I always had a flare for stepping in at the dramatic moments."

"Why are you here?" asked Death as he finally turned around. "And what's with that getup?"

"Well I had nothing better to do and I haven't gotten to do anything in a long time so I asked the Council if there was anything I could do and they told me about this mission of yours. As for the disguise… well unfortunately they didn't have any more of those amulets like you got so I paid Vulgrim for a human disguise and false background."

"The Council let you come here?"

"Yeah, guess they're taking this more seriously than you first thought."

"But why are they taking it so seriously? So far these Shikabane have been little more than nuisances. Even when I was fighting against that traitor monk I never had to use more than one tenth of my full power."

"You think the Councils hiding something from us?"

"Or they just don't completely know themselves. Either way there are secrets here that I want to know."

"Sounds like fun to me, what can I do?"

"Well since you're here, try and get close to that boy Ouri."

"Ouri? What for?"

"There's something about that boy that doesn't seem right. Not to mention that he and his brother Keisei always seem to run into me."

"And if I don't want to follow that order?"

"Then feel free to argue about it while you DO IT ANYWAY!"

Strife simply turned around and gave out a loud whistle. Suddenly a haze of mist appeared and from the mist appeared a white horse. From a distance it looked like a regular horse but as it got closer you could see that it was slightly transparent. And as it moved wounds would appear on its body. One second there would be a hole in its stomach so big you could see its ribs and the next it was gone. One second it looked like its lower jaw was torn off and then it would look normal. Almost as if the horse was trying to maintain a memory of itself from happier times.

"Come on Toil," spoke Strife as he got on the horses back. "Let's go."

As Strife road off, Death summoned Despair and road off in the opposite direction.

Two horsemen on the same mission, though Death to himself. This is about to get very interesting.

Third chapter of my first crossover. Please review and comment on my work.


End file.
